No, it’s not the climax of a Disney movie, it was one of the highlights of Uplands Prep’s annual grades six and seven play, The Music Box.
On March 19, dressed in French or Russian attire, the pupils took to the stage to present the tale of the Russian princess, Anastacia. With catchy songs from the 1997 Disney movie and an array of beautiful costumes, the actors brought to life the story of Anya (Erica Bidwell), a girl who was searching for her identity, Dimitri (Aidan de Bruno Austin), a con-artist who was looking to make a quick buck but ended up falling in love and Marie (Andile Mabuza), Anya’s grandmother, who was desperately searching for her granddaughter.
The hard work of both pupils and staff was evident in their great performance and they were commended by Cheryl Calmeyer, the producer, and headmaster, Dave Ernstzen. Ernstzen mentioned that several of the cast members were more at home on the sports field and that he was proud of their efforts on stage.
The play also featured the addition of the now familiar yellow minions, who, along with Rasputin’s sidekick, Bartok (Bevan Masher), were very entertaining.
Rusputin (Sihle Manonyane) was one of the stars with his passionate portrayal of Rasputin and his masterful evil laugh. Anya’s sweet voice and Dimitri’s energy on stage also contributed to the success of the annual production. For more photos of the play, visit the galleries section on www.whiteriverpost.co.za
View more photos here.
